How to Deal with Intra-faith Racism?
Answered by Ustadha Shazia Ahmad
Question
I get attacked and persecuted by Arab ethnic nationalists here in Germany and on the internet. I’m a Muslim Arab from an Arab family with relatives who see themselves as Berbers, which is quite normal for an Arab. Due to Islam, we, in the Arab world, mixed with other peoples as long as they were Muslim and spoke Arabic. But ethnic-nationalists in Iraq, Morocco, and Egypt want to de-Arabize us, and they say we are not “pure” Arabs.
While being Arab can’t be about being pure, due to Islam forbidding racism, tribalism, or rejecting a marriage due to ethnicity. Therefore, it is expected that Arabs have mixed blood but don’t fear the loss of their Arab roots, language, and customs. They use DNA tests for their claim and say that the percentage of DNA you got from a specific area makes you either this or that. They even claim that the prophet of Allah would have mixed DNA and is not a true Arab. This will lead to sickness and the splitting of the Muslim world.
Answer
I am sorry that you are being persecuted or harassed by these ethnic nationalists. This belief system you describe has no place in Islam and is irrelevant to achieving eternal salvation.
I am not an expert on Arab heritage and roots, nor Arabian tribes, but I can tell you that discussing it online with these people is a waste of time.
Allah, Most High, said, “O humanity! Indeed, We created you from a male and a female and made you into peoples and tribes so that you may know one another. Indeed, the noblest of you in the sight of Allah is the most righteous among you. Allah is truly All-Knowing, All-Aware.” [Quran, 49:13]
This is all that matters, and taking DNA tests to see if one is purely Arab will not elevate one or make him superior to anyone else in this world or on the Day of Judgment. Using such a test to discriminate against others is contrary to the sunna and ignorant.
The prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, “Whoever fights for a cause that is not clear, advocating tribalism, getting angry for the sake of tribalism, then he has died the death of Jahiliyyah.” [Nasai]
More importantly, learning Arabic has a special place in Islam because our Holy Book is revealed in Arabic; it was the language of the prophet who spoke it most eloquently, and it will be the language spoken in Jannah. Once a person has learned it, he can unlock the meanings and profound words of the Quran and hadith and doesn’t need to worry about whether he is Arab. Some of the greatest linguists of the Arabic language were Persian (Sibawayh) and Andalusian. [Ibn Sida]
I pray that you can find peace from this persecution, and please disengage communication with these people so you can focus on what benefits you now and how you can benefit others.
Please see these links on racism:
Blackness, Racism And How The Arabic Language Rises Above It All
#Blacklivesmatter Because Our Lord Demands It – Ustadh Salman Younas
[Ustadha] Shazia Ahmad
Checked and Approved by Shaykh Faraz Rabbani
Ustadha Shazia Ahmad lived in Damascus, Syria for two years where she studied aqida, fiqh, tajweed, tafsir, and Arabic. She then attended the University of Texas at Austin, where she completed her Masters in Arabic. Afterward, she moved to Amman, Jordan where she studied fiqh, Arabic, and other sciences. She later moved back to Mississauga, Canada, where she lives with her family.
